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John Wycliffe
(1320-1384), English scholastic philosopher,
theologian, Biblical translator, reformer, and seminary professor at Oxford.
He was an influential dissident within the Roman Catholic priesthood
during the 14th century.
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Wycliffe attacked
the privileged status of the clergy, which was central to their powerful
role in England. He then attacked the luxury and pomp of local parishes and
their ceremonies.
Wycliffe was also an
advocate for translation of the Bible into the vernacular. He completed a
translation directly from the Vulgate into Middle English in the year 1382,
now known as Wycliffe's Bible. It is probable that he personally translated
the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; and it is possible he
translated the entire New Testament, while his associates translated the
Old Testament. Wycliffe's Bible appears to have been completed by 1384,
with additional updated versions being done by Wycliffe's assistant John
Purvey and others in 1388 and 1395.
Wycliffe's followers
were known as Lollards and followed his lead in advocating Predestination,
Iconoclasm, and Caesaropapism, while attacking
the veneration of Saints, the Sacraments, Requiem Masses,
Transubstantiation, monasticism, and the very existence of the Papacy.
Beginning in the
16th century, the Lollard movement was regarded as the precursor to the
Protestant Reformation. Wycliffe was accordingly characterized as the
evening star of scholasticism and the Morning Star of the English
Reformation. Wycliffe's writings in Latin greatly influenced the philosophy
and teaching of Czech reformer Jan Hus, whose execution in 1415 sparked a
revolt and led to the Hussite Wars.
Extract from en.wikipedia.org – Read More
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